Ankara plans jointly with the United States to create a safe zone around the Syrian city of Manbij after Kurdish forces leave the area, İbrahim Kalın, the spokesman of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Thursday.

"Turkey and the United States will create a safe zone around the Syrian city of Manbij if Washington keeps its promises," Kalın said.

He noted that the reshuffle in the US State Department leadership may lead to a delay in the implementation of the Ankara-Washington arrangement on Manbij for one or two weeks.​